By Hoàng Nghĩa

Another Christmas season comes with the excitement of parishioners throughout the country.

The bustling atmosphere can be felt in cathedrals in the central province of Hà Tĩnh, where local Catholic families are mobilised to create nativity scenes, re-enacting the birth of Jesus Christ in artificial caves of various sizes and colourful decorations for the Christmas celebrations.

A giant cave is erected in Văn Hạnh Diocese. VNS Photo Hoàng Nghĩa

A giant Bethlehem cave has been built on a total area of 2,500sq.m right beside Văn Hạnh Cathedral in Thạch Trung, Hà Tĩnh City.

The main building materials are bamboo trees and used cement sacks. Bamboo trees are used to erect the frame of the cave, which is then draped by the strong paper from used cement sacks.

“We have used more than 3,000 bamboo trees and some 20,000sq.m of strong paper from used cement sacks,” said a local Catholic man, Phùng Linh Huy.

A local Catholic man works on the decoration of a nativity scene. VNS Photo Hoàng Nghĩa

“We have worked days and nights to have the cave ready in time for Christmas celebrations this year,” he said.

“After two years of pandemic, we could not organise mass gatherings for Christmas. Things are under control now so we can celebrate it this year.”

In An Nhiên Diocese, Thạch Hạ Commune, Hà Tĩnh City, Catholic locals are putting the final touches on a cave.

“We started building it a month ago,” said Lê Huy Chương. “A giant cave is almost formed and now we decorate it with lights and plants. All of us from children to adults are so excited for the celebrations.”

The cave begins to form next to Văn Hạnh Cathedral. VNS Photo Hoàng Nghĩa

The cave of An Nhiên Diocese is built in the front yard of a local church in a total area of 3,000sq.m.

The cave has a long tunnel and paths some 500m in length. It may take 15 minutes to explore the cave and take photos, according to Chương.

The cave this year is much bigger and richly decorated than previous ones, which has been erected with thousands of bamboo trees and 10,000sq.m of used cement sacks.

Chương said it required consideration and consensus from Catholic locals to complete the church decoration in time.

The nativity cave of An Nhiên Diocese. VNS Photo Hoàng Nghĩa

“We expect a warmer and luckier Christmas than previous ones,” he said.

An Nhiên Diocese has a long tradition in making giant caves for Christmas. Local villages take turn to build the cave every year.

The cave this year was designed by two people from An Khanh Village. Then all people in the village have joined in the building process.

“Every family is willing to make contributions to the common work,” said an elderly local man, Nguyễn Văn Thiên. “The building of the cave has an estimated costs around VNĐ400 million (US$17,000), excluding voluntary labour and materials. The whole sum was contributed by locals.”

Below the cave are lakes of fish and bonsai, and there are also bonsai inside the cave.

Created by skilful hands of members of the flock, and with simple local materials, nativity caves of Bethlehem have been ubiquitous at Christian churches and some private houses as well across the country during the Christmas season. VNS

A corner in the nativity cave in An Nhiên Diocese. VNS Photo Hoàng Nghĩa